


Phoenix Rising

by lilacquartz



Series: Phoenix Rising [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adventure, Angst, F/M, Family Feels, Fluff, Humor, Identity Reveal, Romance, gabriel doesn't know chat noir's identity, power of love always so strong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-01-26 11:38:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 12,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12556584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilacquartz/pseuds/lilacquartz
Summary: Tired of Hawkmoth's constant failings, Adrien is kidnapped as punishment. While trying to rescue her longtime crush, Marinette discovers more than she bargained for.





	1. Motivation

Nathalie Sancoeur thought herself a patient woman. After all, she had been waiting for this moment for the past four years. As she entered the correct code into the safe, satisfaction filled her core when it clicked open.

  
Gabriel Agreste was a frustrating man, whose love of demanding schedules and sophisticated security measures made her mission nearly unattainable. This safe, for example, possessed a feature that would lock it down if two wrong codes were entered in succession. Discovering the proper code was no easy task, with countless nights of sleuthing and scheming.

  
Once open, Nathalie’s fingers gently grazed the peacock miraculous. Such power held within the ancient object. Taking it, she pinned the item to the front of her jacket. A Kwami popped out, but Nathalie ignored its pleas and instead called for the transformation.

  
Instantly she felt stronger, lighter on her feet. Exactly as _they_ described. Gliding to the master suite, she stole a look at herself from a mirror. No longer was she Nathalie, subservient to Gabriel Agreste, but Le Paon, a being who coursed with authority.

  
After tonight, she would be the one to force him to complete his task. _They_ were tired of waiting. And she wouldn’t be a disappointment.

  
+++

  
Gabriel Agreste had retired to his room for the night, but sleep was a fleeting notion. Restlessly he tossed and turned, unable to shake the feeling of dread. Something was amiss, but what?

  
A quill shot through the air, landing dangerously close to his ear. Bolting upwards from the bed, he was immediately pinned back down by a figure in blue.

  
A woman with pink eyes stared back at him, holding a hand over his mouth. She straddled him, pressing her legs into the sides of his chest, keeping him from moving. Gabriel felt panic shoot down his spine as he recognized the woman.

  
“Nao..mi?” he tried to mumble.

  
“Tsk tsk, Gabriel,” she replied, tauntingly, “You fool, I’m not her.” She held up a quill with her free hand, grazing its sharp edge against his cheek.

  
“Noo…roo,” he tried to say before she clamped her hand tighter on his mouth.

  
“Oh no you don’t! Your Kwami can’t help you,” she spat vehemently down at him. He struggled against her form.

  
“Calm down, I am not here to kill you, but to deliver a message.” Gabriel stopped his flailing, choosing to glare back at her instead.

  
She leaned over to whisper in his ear. “You’ve run out of time. These constant failures won’t be tolerated anymore. _They_ think you need more motivation.”

  
Gabriel’s heart quickened as he considered her words. First his wife…

  
“No!” he strangled out, fighting against her form again.

  
“Get us the miraculous and your loved ones will be returned safely. Fail again, and they’re blood will be on your hands.” She pulled some powder out from a pouch behind her back and blew it into his face.

  
“No…” he whispered as his vision slowly faded to blackness.

  
_Adrien._

  
+++

  
Ever since Adrien became Chat Noir, he’s noticed that his senses have become slightly heightened in his civilian form. Not as much as when he’s transformed, but a noticeable difference. He can see further in the dark, detect scents from across the room (like that new camembert stash of Plagg’s, _grrrr_ ), and sounds from farther away.

  
Which was why Adrien was creeping down the hallway, after hearing a noise that sounded suspiciously like a yell coming from his father’s room.

  
“I think you’re chasing shadows, Kid,” Plagg whispered from his spot beneath his collar.

  
“Shhh!”

  
“Whatever, let me know when you’re done spooking yourself so I can go back to my cheese.”

  
A blue figure darted out into the hallway and Adrien flattened himself up against the wall, hoping it didn’t spot him. Should he transform? The light would certainly blow his cover, not to mention endanger his secret identity.

  
Something darted out of the air, pinning his sleeve to the wall. Ripping the fabric, Adrien barrel rolled to the floor, then sprinted away from the assailant. A blast of wind knocked him back to the ground. Before he could regain his footing she was upon him, trapping Adrien with her body. A knee to his chest held him firmly on the floor.

  
“What do you want?” he asked the woman. Looking at her appearance, Adrien tried to decipher what disturbed her enough to be akumatized. The outfit of light blues, dark blues, and pink was very coordinated and specific.

  
_Was she angry over a peacock?_

  
The woman continued to stare down at him, as if judging what her next move should be.

  
“I don’t know what upset you, but it’s not worth it. Don’t listen to Hawkmoth. You don’t have to do this,” he said, trying to reason with her. Not that it ever worked with akuma victims, but he had to give it a shot. Glancing over her form, Adrien tried to spot the akuma. Was it in the fan? Or the brooch?

  
“You think I’ve been akumatized, stupid boy? Here I thought you were brighter than that. A shame really, a failure, just like your father.”

  
God smacked, all Adrien could make out as a reply was a “…what?”

  
“My name is Le Paon. I hold the peacock miraculous. I’m here to send a message to your father. He’s had three years and shown nothing but failure. Perhaps with a little more motivation, he’ll give us what we want.”

  
Adrien did not like the sound of that one bit and tried to wiggle out from beneath her grasp.

  
“Goodnight, Adrien, you’ll be with your mother soon,” she whispered softly, blowing a powder into his face.

  
And the world turned to black.


	2. Turbulence

“ _Kid! C’mon, you gotta wake up_ ,” a voice implored over the sound of cyclic whooshing. Adrien ignored it. The darkness was more comforting than whatever the voice wanted. It enveloped him like a warm blanket, leaving the desire for nothing else.

“ _Kid! I’m serious, WAKE UP!_ ”

Pain prickled his nose, pushing Adrien closer to consciousness. “Five more minutes,” he murmured, trying to return to the sweet embrace of slumber.

“ _NO!_ ”

“Ow!” Adrien’s eyes shot up as he felt a bite across his cheek. Rubbing it, he glared down at his Kwami. Plagg looked back, nonplussed.

“It’s for your own good,” the black spirit replied.

“And how exactly can that be?” Adrien demanded.

Plagg rolled his eyes, “Because you’ve been kidnapped.”

Panic shot through his entire core. “ _What?!_ ” Plagg gestured for quiet. Then he remembered… the fight….the woman with the Peacock miraculous… the powder blown in his face. _Ughhhhhh_.

“Took you long enough,” Plagg said, sarcastically.

“Shut up!” Adrien glanced around at his surrounding, hoping to gauge where he was taken. The floor was metal in a militaristic sort of way, as were the walls, although it was hard to tell with the dim lights. The whooshing sound persisted, rhythmic in nature, despite his consciousness. _A fan?_ Suddenly the room jolted upwards. _Definitely not a fan._

The helicopter leveled off, but the absence of turbulence did nothing to calm Adrien’s nerves. A partition separated the space where he was being held and the cockpit. Gathering his courage, Adrien glanced through the small window at the pilot.

“Nathalie?” His father’s assistant was calmly at the controls, headset over her ears, steering the craft.  
Adrien sunk back against the bulkhead in disbelief. If Nathalie was the pilot, was he really being kidnapped?

“Trust me, Kid, she’s not your friend.” Adrien gaped at the small, floating being. None of this made sense. Nathalie aligned herself with that Peacock woman from the mansion? She was helping her abduct him? Le Paon- wasn’t that what she called herself? Hadn’t she said something about taking him to his mother?

“You need to get out of here,” Plagg implored. “It’s not safe.”

Gesturing around the cabin he spat, “Where am I supposed to go?” Plagg shrugged and Adrien glared back. _Some help you are_.

Pushing his aggravation aside, Adrien crawled over to one of the windows and peaked out. The outside was dark, with pricks of light coming from a shoreline. Below the craft, Adrien could make out the white peaks of waves. _How long was I out?_

“I hope you know how to swim,” Plagg offered.

“You expect me to jump out of a moving aircraft into the water?”

“I don’t think you have much choice. And you better make up your mind quickly, the longer you wait, the further that shoreline gets.”

Adrien cradled his head in his hand. _This was pure insanity!_ Looking out the window again, he watched the shoreline grow smaller. The helicopter seemed to be flying low. With the Chat Noir suit, maybe he could survive this? But if he stayed, would he really get to see his mother again?

“Kid…” Plagg flew in front of his face, breaking his line of thought. “Those waters are far less dangerous than whatever you face at the end of this flight.”

Adrien took a deep breath, collected himself, and then whispered, “Plagg…claws out.”

_Okay, I can do this. Just make a hole in the floor and jump out. Easy? Right?_

The helicopter buckled again, forcing Adrien to steel his nerves. “Catacylism!” Pressing his hand to the surface below him, the metal dissolved away, revealing a choppy current below. The helicopter shook again, as the cabin pressure changed, veering closer to the water. _It’s now or never._

Without giving it more thought, Adrien lowered his body into the hole and let go.


	3. Catfish

The plunge into the Atlantic certainly knocked the breath out of him. Struggling to overcome the pain of hitting the cold water, Adrien floundered to the surface. A shiver went down his spine when he spotted the distant shoreline and then turned around to watch the helicopter fly off in the opposing direction.

All in all, Adrien was _not_ having a good night.

Locking eyes on land, he forced his legs to kick in the chilly, rough water. His miraculous beeped, signaling five more minutes before he would transform back.

Definitely _not_ a good night.

“I hope nothing likes the taste of _cat_ fish,” he muttered to himself. He swam for several minutes before another noise sounded, indicating a call from Ladybug.

“Hey, Bugaboo,” he answered cheerily, ignoring the waves as they crashed around him.

“Chat Noir,” his partner’s tone was slightly panicked and very distracted, “you have to come to the Agreste mansion quickly! Adrien Agreste has been kidnapped!”

“Uhhh…” Adrien managed, rocking with the waves, before he was interrupted by heroine. “The police are here, searching for clues. Mr. Agreste has made a televised plea, looking for his son. I could really use some help.”

A large wave splashed down on Adrien’s head before he could reply. Sputtering, he shook the cold water from his face. Ladybug’s eyes went wide on the viewscreen of his baton. “Did you fall into the Seine?”

  
“…More like the Atlantic.”

Ladybug’s eye grew even wider. Her mouth gaped with questions. Normally he’d find the spectacle cute…. if he wasn’t actively trying to _not_ drown.

“I …uh… found out about the kidnapping. And… uh… tracked down the culprit that kidnapped m…Adrien.” A cheeky grin appeared as he tried to consolidate his lie. “I ..uh.. caught up with the helicopter, but unfortunately I …uh… fell off?”

 _“Fell off?”_ Ladybug exclaimed, looking very skeptical, hand on her forehead. “Ugh, you know what; we don’t have time for this. Do you know where they are taking Adrien?”

“Well I know which way the helicopter is heading,” Adrien offered. “I’ll send you my coordinates.” He pushed a couple of buttons on the baton’s interface, and then heard a satisfying _chirp_ come from Ladybug’s yoyo.

“It will take me several hours to get to you,” his lady noted. “You got yourself into a fine mess, _Chaton._ ”

Adrien groaned. _Tell me about it._

His miraculous chirped, signaling his impending reversal. “LB, can you bring some camembert with you?”

“Camembert?”

“It’s for my Kwami. Gotta go!” Closing the line, he transformed back a few seconds later.

“This water is so cold!” Plagg exclaimed, shivering and burying himself in Adrien’s hair. “Can’t you swim any faster, Kid?”

“I’m working on it!” Adrien cried, swimming again. The shoreline was still a ways away. He just had to keep his head down, and bear it. Well, maybe not too far down, as he felt the little black cat Kwami shake with cold.

“We’ll get through this, Plagg! I’m not giving up yet!” He may not be on the helicopter any longer, but it was the first solid clue to his mother’s disappearance. He wasn’t about to let himself drown.

+++

By the time Adrien made it to the shoreline, he was completely and utterly spent. Sand never felt so good as he crawled up past the tide line and let his body drop. Panting, he tried not to give into the exhaustion that he so desperately felt. Plagg slipped off his head, onto the warm sand. Looking at his tiny friend, Adrien worried about his wellbeing.

“I’m proud of you, kid,” Plagg whispered dramatically. “Think of me when you eat camembert.”

Adrien rolled his eyes, all concern dissipating. “Ladybug is bringing you some camembert.”

“She is?” the Kwami flew into the air excitedly. “I knew I liked that girl. She’s a better charge than you. Maybe Tikki will switch me?”

“Hey, who just jumped from a moving helicopter and swam for the last who knows how many hundreds of meters?!”

_….And who is Tikki?!_

“Ladybug would never have allowed herself to be kidnapped in the first place,” came the deadpan response.

  
“UGH!” Adrien scooped up the Kwami, ignoring his disapproving yelp. Surveying the quiet, dark beach, he found an abandoned towel which he used to pull most of the water out of his hair and clothes. A closed concessions stand would do for hiding out, after spotting the structure. Nothing to do but stay put, wait and wonder about his mother.

+++

Marinette surveyed the beach near the coordinates Chat Noir sent. Hopefully he was on this beach, as it was the closest to his location at the time. It had taken her over two hours to get to this point. At least the train ride to Le Harve was quiet, although she spent all of it worried about Adrien.

The camembert in Ladybug’s pouch smelled horrible and made her grateful that Tikki liked cookies. _Now to find this lost kitty._

“Chat Noir,” she whispered loudly, “are you here?” Silence met her request. It was hard to see, at this late hour. She frowned. Unlike her partner, she didn’t posses keen night vision. Moving further down the beach, she called out for him every few steps.

“My Lady?” a voice answered back near a concession stand. Sighing, she made her way over to the closed establishment.

A black spot rushed towards Marinette, startling the masked super heroine. “Do you have my camembert?”

Marinette gaped at the floating black cat, its green eyes blinking in annoyance. “Well?” it demanded, snapping her back to reality. Fumbling with the pouch, she produced the smelly cheese, which the Kwami happily snatched from her fingers.

“That’s Plagg.” A voice hidden behind the counter replied. Marinette could see Chat Noir’s blonde hair peaking out. “He’s…..well…he’s Plagg.”

Marinette hid a smile as Chat Noir tried to explain his Kwami’s behavior.

“He’s so cute,” she said, venturing a look at the little black cat ravishing the piece of camembert on the counter.

“ _Shh!_ Don’t let him hear that, it will only inflate his ego.” She heard her partner whisper exasperatedly.

“Too late,” Plagg replied through a mouthful of cheese. “I do like her better. She brought me camembert. You never give me camembert.”

“ _Why you little!_ I give you camembert all the time!”

“Not this camembert. This camembert is the best I’ve ever had! It’s so soft and creamy!”

Marinette couldn’t contain the giggle as she listened to Chat Noir and his Kwami interact. She wondered if Plagg was always this obstinate.

“Is he done yet?” Chat whined.

“Almost,” she replied.

“Hurry up, Plagg!”

“You can’t rush good camembert.”

Marinette watched the top of Chat Noir’s head shake from side to side in annoyance. He was so close. And not transformed. If she wanted to, she could hop the counter and discover who the boy behind the mask was easily. But, no, she wouldn’t do that. It wasn’t fair to Chat, despite her growing curiosity over the last three years.

Plagg leaned back on the counter, rubbing his swollen belly. “I think he’s finished, Kitty,” she offered.

  
“ _Finally._ Plagg, claws out!” A burst of green light filled the concession stand and a moment later, Chat Noir flipped over the counter, landing in front of her. He took her hand, kissing it. “Thank you, My Lady. You saved my life and stolen my heart.”

Rolling her eyes, Marinette batted him away. “You said you knew where the helicopter was going?”

“I said I knew which direction it was headed,” he corrected her sharply then pointed out to the sea.

_This was going to be a long night._


	4. Green Eyes, Blonde Hair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was one of the first scenes I devised when envisioning this fic. Just a little background. Hope you enjoy!

“I still don’t like that we stole this boat,” Marinette complained as they raced across the water. She gripped the seat tightly, trying to control the sudden sea sickness bubbling up inside her.

“I _sea_ you look a little green around the gills, My Lady,” Chat quipped from his seat by the engine. Marinette shot him a frosty look, which only made her partner grin widely. “Besides, it’s not stealing, per se, if we return it. Just temporarily borrowing it.”

They had located a small island off the coast on the map of Ladybug’s yoyo. With no other leads, the two made their way to a small dock and _borrowed_ a boat.

“Here I thought it was just cats who hated water.” She glared at him, readying a retort, only to be interrupted by the engine being cut. Chat placed a finger to his lips then pointed to a rocky shoreline behind her. The boat gently glided the remaining meters and met the land, tiny pebbles scrapping the bottom.

Chat’s expression turned serious as he helped her onto the shore. Grabbing her hand, he ignored her protests and pulled them both up a path leading away from the water. They followed it through the brush, to a crest in the hill. Marinette spotted a structure with a helicopter parked next to it just as Chat pulled her down to a lower profile.

“That must be where they are keeping Adrien,” she reasoned aloud, looking at the area again. Two guards were stationed outside the entrance. Chat’s eyes narrowed, turning his features dark. Before she could comment, he sprang to his feet and ran towards the building, melting into the night. She could only watch as he took out both guards with his baton, the men slumping to the ground unconscious.

He flashed an “all clear” signal and she followed him into the building, ready to remind him that a partnership takes two people. Before she could speak, he pulled her into a surveillance room. Marinette stood in awe of the electronics in front of her. The facility seemed to have a camera in every room, gauging from the number of monitors. She glanced between them, looking for Adrien. Instead she spotted a jail cell, where a tall, blonde woman slept.

“Mom?” Chat whispered.

_Did he just say “Mom?”_

Without another word, the masked boy flew out of the room. “Wait!” she shouted, slamming her yoyo into the surveillance equipment. They didn’t need to be followed.

She tracked his route by the unconscious men left behind in his wake. By the time she caught up to her partner, they were deep within the facility. Chat Noir frantically opened doors, peering inside before moving onto the next. Coming across a large, bolted door, he used his baton to force it open.

“Mom!” This time she made out the word clearly, staring in amazement as Chat called out to the slumbering woman. The woman opened her eyes in bewilderment.

Green eyes. Blonde hair. Marinette has seen this woman before, but where?

“Mom! I’ll get you out of here! Stay back!” The metal bars dissolved as Chat used his Cataclysm. The woman stood still, shock evident on her face, as the masked boy pulled her into a fierce embrace.

Marinette watched as the women held Chat’s head in her hands, searching his features, while he continued to murmur “Mom” over and over.

“Adrien?” the woman whispered.

Marinette felt like she was struck by lightning, as the realization kicked in. She had seen this woman before… on Adrien’s desktop. Adrien’s mother. Adrien Agreste’s mother. Which made Adrien Agreste… Chat Noir.

Mother and son continued their emotional reunion while Marinette backed up against a wall for support, trying to learn how to breathe again. _All this time, it was him._

“My darling, you have gotten so tall! Look at you!” Adrien’s mother said through tears. “I can’t believe you are here. I missed you so much. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Chat Noir…no, _Adrien_ replied, burying his head into her shoulder. Marinette felt her eyes well up, watching the private moment. Feeling like an intruder, she moved to leave.

Mrs. Agreste caught sight of Marinette and they locked eyes. The older woman pulled out of Adrien’s embrace. “Darling,” she addressed her son, “would you please introduce me to your friend?”

Adrien smiled brightly at his mother’s request. Turning around, he paused in shock, smile slipping as he looked at her. _He knows I know his identity._ “Mom,” eyes never leaving Marinette’s, “this is … Ladybug. Ladybug, this is my mother, …Naomi Agreste.”

Naomi Agreste crossed the room, hand extended. Her grip was warm as she shook Marinette’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Ladybug. Thank you for rescuing me.”

“You’re welcome,” Marinette replied, smiling back. Turning, she locked eyes with Adrien, “I’m glad we found what we were looking for.” He looked sheepishly away. At least to his credit, Marinette noted the blush forming on his cheeks.

“Well I, for one, am tired of being in this room,” Naomi Agreste stated, grabbing her son’s hand. “I would like to leave this godforsaken place.”

“Going so soon?” A voice called out from the shadows.


	5. Stay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ridiculously long chapter inbound. I have no regrets.

Marinette watched with growing anticipation and dread as a woman in blue sauntered into the room. Striking didn’t begin to explain this woman. She was tall and lithe, wearing a dark blue dress, with pink accents, that spread onto the floor like feathers. In her hand, she carried an elegant fan, colors resembling a peacock. _Could she be an Akuma victim?_

Marinette’s thoughts were interrupted when Naomi Agreste yelled “Thief! That does not belong to you!”

  
Adrien – no, _Chat Noir_ (she couldn’t afford to think of him as anything other than her partner in the middle of a battle) pushed his clearly agitated mother behind him, who continued to lash out at the woman, anger flashing in his eyes. “Le Paon is the woman who kidnapped Adrien,” he whispered to her. “Watch out for the pouch on her hip, it contains sleeping powder.”

“The Peacock miraculous is mine now!” the woman stated defiantly. “And soon I will have the other miraculous. Give them to me!” With a sweep of her hand, a blast of air shot towards them. Marinette dodged to one side, while Chat pulled his mother over to the other.

“Get her out of here, Chat!” she yelled, readying her yoyo. Her partner didn’t waste any time, scooping up Naomi Agreste and darting for the exit.

“Not so fast!” The Peacock miraculous holder shouted, throwing a quill from her fan. Marinette threw her yoyo, intercepting the object in mid-air. The woman shrieked in frustration, sending another blast of air Marinette’s way.

The ceiling collapsed from the force of the attack. Spinning her yoyo above her head, Marinette managed to escape the failing debris. The woman in blue wasn’t so lucky, stumbling to her feet, temporarily dazed.

Taking her cue to leave, Marinette ran from the room, leaving the woman behind.

+++

Marinette was fairly certain Le Paon was following her as she bolted through the corridors. It’s not like they really had anywhere to go, but fighting a fan wielding villain outside, in the open, was more preferable than inside the tight hallways and rooms of the compound.

By the time Marinette caught up with Chat Noir and his mother, they were waiting by the helicopter. “Anyone know how to fly this thing?” Chat commented, dryly. When no one answered, he replied, “The boat then?”

“We can’t outrun _that thief_ in a boat,” his mother snapped back, venomously. Marinette blinked at the raw emotion emanating from the tall blonde woman.

Before Marinette could give it another thought, a whizzing sound shot past her, striking off the side of the helicopter with a ‘ _ping_ ’. Instantly Chat Noir was in front of them, baton spinning rapidly as multiple shots bounced off it. Without further hesitation, she pulled his mother over to the side of the building, pushing her behind a leafy bush. Rejoining her partner, yoyo spinning, they waited for Le Paon to pass the entrance of the building.

Chat raced forward, clashing his baton against her fan. Marinette followed his lead, throwing her yoyo at the woman. It was swiftly met and pushed back with a gust of wind. Chat skidded away, using a claw against the sand to slow his acceleration from the burst. Le Paon readied her next attack, a series of quills. Both heroes jumped upwards, onto the helicopter blades. The quills hit, searing into the metal, knocking one to the ground.

“I guess that’s one way to _break wind_ ,” her partner taunted while Marinette groaned at the terrible pun. “I’m surprised you have the _gale_ to fight us!”

Le Paon narrowed her eyes dangerously. “I already lost one hostage today, I won’t lose two!” She swept her fan back. “Besides, I will be awarded handsomely for capturing your miraculous.” A gust barreled towards them, causing both heroes to leap from the aircraft.

Chat flung himself back at the woman, and Marinette took the opportunity to call for her Lucky Charm. A spotted life vest landed in her hands. _What do I do with this?_ She glanced around, focusing on the fallen helicopter blade, the ground beneath Le Paon, and lastly her partner.

“Chat Noir!” she yelled, throwing the vest at him as she vaulted off the blade. Predictably, Le Paon’s attention went to the boy and the object, giving Marinette time to land at her feet and sweep a handful of sand into the woman’s eyes. Stumbling back, the Peacock wielder clutched at her eyes, unaware of Chat as he drew the vest over her head. He pulled on the straps taunt, locking her arms in place. Meanwhile, Marinette used her yoyo to knock the fan from her grasp.

Smiling, Marinette turned to her partner, ready to pound his fist, only to find he pushed Le Paon up against the helicopter. “Who is threatening the Agreste family?!” he yelled at her. “What do they want?!”

The woman in blue glared back defiantly, eyes swollen from the sand. “Talk!” he shouted in her face, shoving her again.

“If she’s a member of PHOENIX, you won’t get anything out of her.” Marinette heard a voice from behind say. Naomi Agreste walked over and glared at the woman. Suddenly, she reached out and slapped Le Paon sharply across the cheek. Chat released his grip on the woman, stunned by his mother’s actions.

“Who’s PHOENIX?” Marinette asked. Naomi looked back at her, startled. “They’re a shadow organization that’s existed from centuries. Their goal is to collect all the miraculous, especially the ladybug and black cat, to create a new world order. As a miraculous holder, I’m surprised no one has told you about it.” A pause. “No doubt, PHOENIX is responsible for my abduction.”

“PHOENIX will never stop till they have _every_ miraculous. They will come looking for you again, Naomi Agreste,” Le Paon sneered.

Naomi redirected her gaze back to the woman in blue. “Thief,” she spat again. Grabbing at Le Paon’s pouch, she removed a handful of the dust and blew it in her face. The woman sunk to the ground, unconscious.

“Uhh,” Chat muttered as she reached for the peacock brooch. “Maybe we should find its proper owner?”

Naomi straightened, pinning the brooch on her shirt. Marinette could only gape at her. “It _is_ with its proper owner,” the tall woman replied with a small smile. Her entire demeanor shifted, exuding relief, as she clutched the miraculous over her heart.

“Nathalie?” Chat looked at the unconscious woman, incredulously. At their feet was Gabriel Agreste’s assistant. Betrayal flashed in his eyes, and Marinette could only sympathize.

“A thief and a traitor.” Placing a hand on her son’s shoulder, mother and child shared a look. “We had a viper in our home.” Naomi pulled him into a hug. Chat touched the peacock brooch.

“You’re the real Le Paon?” he whispered. The older woman smiled, humming an affirmative.

“And you hold the black cat miraculous. I suppose it runs in the family. I’m so proud of you.”

Marinette stared at the two, feeling like an intruder _again_.

“Duusu?” Naomi cried out, pulling out of her son’s embrace. “Duusu? It’s me. It’s Naomi.” A blue light emanated from the brooch, and an indigo Kwami popped out. She kind of looked like Tikki, with a pink dot on her forehead and three antennas. Several peacock-like feathers made a tail.

“Naomi!” the Kwami shrieked, dissolving into tears. They fell from her face like a shimmering waterfall.

“I’ve missed you, old friend,” Naomi whispered as the Kwami darted into her hands.

Chat stared at the scene, mouth wide. Marinette wasn’t about to intrude on, _yet again_ , another private moment. Snatching his hand, she pulled him to the other side of the helicopter. They stood there for a moment, in silence, before she let him go.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about my mother,” she heard him say quietly. “I didn’t know how.” Marinette met his eyes, ready to reassure him when they both became startled by his ring beeping.

“I should leave…” Marinette began.

“And go where?” He had a point. They were on an island. An enemy’s island. It’s not like she could hang out in the bushes. “You already know who I am, what does it matter?”

As if to accentuate the point, his transformation dropped, leaving behind a sheepish looking Adrien Agreste. “Please,” he began again, taking a step towards her, “isn’t it about time we knew? Stay.”

Marinette instinctively took a step backwards, away from the boy. A look of hurt crossed his eyes. “What are you afraid of?” he whispered.

She took a breath. Here was Adrien freaking Agreste, the boy she’s loved for three years, pleading with her to stay. But he was also her partner, her silly kitty. And under this mask, she was just plain old Marinette.

“I’m not like her,” she tried to explain, breathe hitching. He looked on in confusion. She turned her eyes downwards, staring at the ground, avoiding his eyes. “I’m not like Ladybug. I’m not brave. I’m not confident. I’m not strong.” _I’m shy and awkward and so, so clumsy._

Adrien pulled her chin upwards, forcing her to look at him. “You’re wrong,” he implored, smiling. Marinette felt her heart skip when he dropped his hand. “I, of all people, should know that your miraculous does not give you a new personality. Do you think Adrien is charmer? Over the top? Reckless? No? But I am, deep down. I am all those things Chat Noir is, because those qualities come from within. I may only show them as Chat, but they are there. As I know all those aspects of Ladybug you say you are not _are_ within you, My Lady.” He clutched her hand. “ _Stay._ ”

Marinette glanced down at their intertwined hands then back up at Adrien. Chat Noir. Her crush. Her schoolmate. Her friend.

_Her partner._

Taking a deep breath, Marinette closed her eyes…

 

… and released the transformation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *flails*


	6. Connection

_Marinette._

_Marinette Dupain-Cheng._

Adrien stared at the girl in front of him, who held her eyes tightly closed, as if afraid of his response.

“Marinette,” he breathed, taking it all in. He’s wondered for years about her identity, and she was in his life all along.

“How did I not notice?” he wondered aloud. Marinette peaked her eyes open, face still tilted towards the ground. She glanced up at him, her face carried a mixture of worry and anticipation.

“You are the perfect Ladybug,” he mused, smiling down at the girl. Her eyes widen in surprise.

“Really?” she replied, a small smile growing on her lips.

“Yeah.” He couldn’t contain the happiness bubbling through his body. He pulled her into a warm embrace and felt her arms circle around his waist. “I can’t believe it’s you,” he murmured. “I’m so happy it’s you,” he corrected. Marinette pulled back slightly, staring at him, her face mere inches away from his.

On impulse, Adrien closed the gap, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. A moment later, he felt her press back. Pure bliss coursed through his entire being, as he held her tighter, deepening the kiss.

“Ahem.”

Adrien reared back, away from Marinette, blush overtaking his cheeks. His mother looked on with an amused expression. Marinette’s face was entirely scarlet. His mother giggled at their embarrassment.

“Darling,” she said softly, “please introduce me to your friend.”

Trying desperately to push away the embarrassment of being caught, and probably failing miserably, Adrien cleared his throat. “Mom…this is Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

Naomi surged forward, wrapping the stunned girl, who let out an audible squeak, into a tight embrace. “Such a pretty thing! You two make a cute couple!” she exclaimed, winking in his general direction. Adrien wasn’t sure how Marinette felt, but he was about two seconds away from burying his head in the sand like an ostrich.

His mother pulled him back into a hug. “I’ve missed so much, you must tell me everything!”

“Maybe we should get off the island first?” he muttered into her shoulder. His mother grinned back while Adrien felt his heart flutter at the happy sight. It’s been a long time since he’s seen one of her smiles. Snagging one of his hands into her own, she lead them away from the helicopter while Marinette followed closely behind. “Yes, you said there was a boat?”

“It’s this way,” Marinette offered, her voice slightly higher than normal.

Adrien stole a look back at Nathalie before he was pulled away, unable to shake the feeling of betrayal. Despite her cold, collected nature, she was a mother figure to him for the last four years. It hurt. And the vicious way she went after him back in the mansion? He shuddered. _A failure, just like your father. He’s had three years! Perhaps with a little more motivation, he’ll give us what we want._

Three years?

What we want?

A sinking feeling formed in Adrien’s stomach. Stopping suddenly, his mind raced while he held his breath. Both his mother and Marinette looked on worriedly.

“Did Father know about your miraculous?” he blurted out to the older woman.

Naomi blinked several times, clearly not expecting the question. “…yes. He knew. Why?”

Adrien dragged his eyes up to meet Marinette’s. “Because I think I know who Hawkmoth is.” His lady’s beautifully blue eyes widen in surprise as she made the connection.

“Hawkmoth? Who is Hawkmoth?” his mother questioned.

Marinette’s eyes stayed glued onto his as she whispered “He’s the butterfly miraculous holder who’s been terrorizing Paris for the past three years. It’s been his goal to capture Adrien and I’s miraculous by akumatizing citizens.”

“But the butterfly was lost. It hasn’t been seen in centuries.” Confusion clouded his mother’s features. “What does this have to do with your Father knowing about my miraculous?”

Breaking eye contact with Marinette, Adrien felt a flush of shame at the words he was about to say. “Because I think Father is Hawkmoth.”

Naomi laughed. “You think your father is some kind of supervillian? Oh Adrien, I knew you had a wild imagination, but I would have thought you’d outgrow it by now.”

“It makes sense,” Marinette began.

“No. I won’t stand here and debate whether my loving husband is evil. He is completely devoted to his family, he would not do something so heinous and put us in danger. No. Gabriel is a good man.”

“But would he do anything to protect his family?” Adrien questioned her. “How far would he go to make sure you were safe? You didn’t see how he’s changed since you’ve been missing! The first couple of months he was so frantic to find you. He talked to the police every hour and hired private investigators! After that, he stowed away in his office and I saw less and less of him.”

“That doesn’t make him a supervillian!”

“But it does make him desperate,” Marinette joined in. “And if PHOENIX used you as ransom…”

“… he might of acquired the butterfly miraculous as a means to get ours. All to ensure the safe return of his wife,” Adrien finished. He felt sick. His own father was Hawkmoth.

Naomi stood still, contemplating their words. “Okay, not saying I believe Gabriel is this Hawkmoth, but how do you know for certain?”

“When Nathalie attacked me, she said Father was a failure. That he’s had three years and failed them. I didn’t understand it at the time, but what if “them” is PHOENIX? That they have been using you to make Father obtain the ladybug and black cat miraculous? Hawkmoth surfaced three years ago, and Marinette and I have been fighting him ever since.”

His mother looked god smacked and Adrien knew how she felt. “ _Gabriel..._ ” she whispered, eyes brimming with tears. “If…if he has turned evil, I have to speak with him. I can make him stop. I _have_ to make him stop.” Shaking her head back and forth gently, Adrien could only watch as she tried to regain her composure.

“When we get back, we’ll make sure you get the chance. But if he is Hawkmoth, he will have to be brought to justice.” Adrien’s heart dropped at Marinette’s words. “And we will have to take the butterfly miraculous from him.”

Naomi looked up briefly at the girl, unable to hide the pain from her face.

Adrien felt gutted. The prospect of having his family whole again was shattered. Marinette placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. “We may be wrong,” she reasoned.

“Right,” his mother said, toned clipped. “No point in worrying ourselves about this. Let’s get off this godforsaken island.” With that, she hopped into the boat, and Adrien followed, confusing thoughts swimming in his head.


	7. Together

Marinette balanced the plate of cookies, stinky cheese and fruit in one hand as she opened the door to the train compartment with the other. Sneaking Adrien, whose name and face was probably on every French police department’s radar due to his highly publicized kidnapping, onto the Paris bound train was no small task. With a bit of luck, an extra ticket and Naomi creating a small distraction on the platform, he was able to crawl through the window of their private compartment.

All three Kwamis excitedly rushed her, snatching snacks after the door was shut. Adrien and his mother were lost in conversation, as he tried to catch her up on the last four years. Naomi gently caressed his hand as she listened with rapt attention, soaking in all the details. Marinette had to admire her personal strength and depth of love for her son. To be cut off from the world for years and stay positive afterwards was truly a testament to her character.

“Nino, Alya and the others, I can’t wait to meet all your friends.”

Adrien brightened, “I’m sure they will all be excited to meet you too.”

Naomi looked introspective for a moment. “Darling, I believe I did you a disservice by home schooling. It was selfish of me to keep you all to myself.”

“I loved being with you!” Adrien countered.

“But you missed out on making friends. I see now how important their friendships are to you, how they helped you when I couldn’t be there. I never want to limit your potential again.” She rubbed his cheek. “Just don’t forget to spend some time with me now and again.”

“Oh course I will!”

Marinette smiled, glad that Adrien was finally getting the parental love he always needed. She caught him sheepishly glancing at her as his mother showered him with more affection.

_He is so gorgeous._

Marinette pushed the thought away quickly. Now was _so_ not the time to ogle her partner. Besides, she chastised herself, after everything that’s happened tonight with finding his mother, discovering his secret identity, fighting Nathalie, and suspecting Gabriel, she had other things to worry about.

_But that kiss…_

Marinette bite her lip. Not thinking about it was going to be harder than she thought. She wasn’t even sure if it meant anything to him. He could have simply been caught up in the moment. …Right?

Moreover, it wasn’t fair to him to expect him to return her feelings. Especially now, with the return of his missing mother and the possibility that his father is Hawkmoth. Romance may not even be on his mind, so she had to stop thinking about it.

An audible squeal from the train’s brakes broke her line of thought.

“Are we slowing down?” Naomi asked.

_“ATTENTION PASSANGERS. DUE TO THE STATE OF EMERGENCY IN PARIS, THE DECISION HAS BEEN MADE TO STOP ALL INCOMING TRAINS. WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVEINCE.”_

Adrien bolted upwards as Marinette dug her phone out of her purse. Switching it on, she noted the tens of messages from her parents, Alya, Nino, and other classmates. Push notifications from news organizations, including the Ladyblog, flashed on the screen.

“What’s going on?” Adrien said from above her shoulder, practically breathing down her neck as his eyes scanned the screen. “Is it Hawkmoth?”

Marinette picked the post from the Ladyblog. “Yes,” she breathed, skimming the article. “He’s summoned over thirty akuma and counting. I thought he could only do one at a time?”

“I guess he’s properly motivated,” Adrien replied sarcastically. However, no amount of sarcasm could cover up the pain in his face.

“We have to stop him.” Marinette hated saying those words.

“I know,” Adrien replied quietly. Reaching out, he took one of her hands and squeezed it. “Together?”

Marinette squeezed back. “Always.”

“Plagg!”

“Tikki!”

“Claws out!”

“Spots on!”

Green and pink light filled the private compartment. The two teens regarded each other for a moment, determination setting in. No matter the outcome, Ladybug and Chat Noir would face it together.

Naomi stood, breaking Marinette’s focus on her partner.

“Duusu!” The woman touched the peacock brooch and shifted her gaze upwards.

“Colors bright!”

Blue light bathed the space, leaving behind the feathered heroine.

“Mom? Wow. You look amazing.”

The taller woman shot her son a stern look. “Chat Noir,” voice scolding, “do not refer to me as ‘Mom’ while we are transformed. If anyone discovered our true relationship, it could put us both in danger.”

“I…I’m sorry, Mom,” he winced, “…err.. Le Paon?”

Le Paon sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I suppose it will take some time to get used to, but please try.”

She turned to Marinette. “Let’s go.”


	8. Butterflies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter. I have reasons.

Adrien carried his mother on his back as Ladybug swung from rooftop to rooftop. Or did he carry Le Paon while Marinette swung? It was all so confusing. Perhaps he should heed his mother’s warning and refer to each by their alter ego? Maybe it would be easier that way.

In any case, the plan was that Adrien would take Le Paon to Hawkmoth while Ladybug dealt with the akumas and protected the citizens of Paris. He didn’t want to leave either alone, but that was impossible. Stopping Hawkmoth held a higher precedence than fighting akumas, no matter how many there were.

The trio stopped in front of an electronics store, hoping to gleam some information for the media broadcasts to determine where Hawkmoth was. This was no normal akuma attack after all. Clearly Hawkmoth was making a stand. Adrien’s breath faltered as he considered that his disappearance drove his father to this level of madness.

“Look!” Ladybug pointed to a television screen of the Eiffel Tower. A purple haze surrounded the top. “I bet that’s where he is tonight.”

“We should hurry,” Le Paon implored, climbing onto his back once more.

Adrien looked over at Ladybug. She bit her lip in worry and whispered, “I’ll be okay, _Chaton_. You two stop Hawkmoth.”

“Are you sure, My Lady?” Adrien struggled to leave her.

She reached out and ruffled his hair. “Yes, you silly cat. Now go before I kick your butt.”

With one last glance, Adrien extended his baton and leapt away.

As he raced towards Paris’s iconic tower, he forced his mind to stop thinking and to focus on the task at hand. His mother’s arms gripped around his shoulders and neck tightly. The baton clinked off the rooftops. The wind stung at his eyes as he kept his attention on the iron monument.

The Eiffel Tower looked menacing swathed in purple. As Adrien climbed, he could spot white specks darting in and out of the upper beams. _Butterflies_.

“Adrien, wait.”

Stopping at the second platform, Adrien did as he was told. “I thought you said not to call each other by our given names while transformed?” he teased.

The look she leveled him could melt glaciers. _Whoops_. Too much Chat Noir sass.

“Adrien, I can’t have you come with me. If your father doesn’t listen to me, then I will have to do what I must to stop him. I don’t want you to see it.”

“But, Mom! I can’t let you do this alone! I can’t lose you again.”

She closed the distance between them, enveloping him into a tight hug. “I know, darling, I know. But I can’t put you in that kind of danger.” Adrien felt gutted at the prospect of losing her. “Please, Adrien. Please. I don’t want you to see your mother and father fighting.”

“Go back to Ladybug. I know you didn’t want to leave her either.” She smiled down at him. “You love her, don’t you?”

“Uhhh…” _Why were words hard to form?_

“It’s okay. I can tell by the way you look at her. Besides the ladybug and black cat miraculous were always meant for a pair of soul mates.”

 _Soul mates?_ Adrien’s body forgot how to breathe.

“No matter what happens tonight, please know that I will always love you. And I am so, so very happy to see that you found love too.”

She patted him on the cheek. The touch kick-started his brain again. “I love you too,” he choked out as she lifted her fan to leave.

Le Paon smiled back. Sweeping the fan downwards, the gust sent his mother up to the next beam. He watched her ascent for several moments before turning to find his lady.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter.... is my favorite. Gah, so excited to post it. One word: Hawkdaddy. (Probably tomorrow. Hopefully tomorrow.)


	9. Mercy & Madness

Gabriel summoned another akuma.

_Naomi._

_Adrien._

He put all his despair into the process. Ignoring the physical and mental toll on himself and his Kwami, Gabriel focus on one singular thought – Obtain Ladybug and Chat Noir’s miraculous _and get them back._

Fear. Fear was a potent emotion to capitalize on. People were afraid after multiple akumas popped up. The more akumas, the more fearful they became. Easy pickings.

“Hello Under Cover, I am Hawkmoth. Too long have you toiled beneath your bed sheets. Now you can make others run and hide. All I ask in return is that you bring me Ladybug and Chat Noir’s miraculous.”

_It was almost too easy._

He glared out from his new vantage point high on the Eifel Tower. White butterflies floated around the beams, waiting to be used. Tonight. It all came down to tonight. He _would_ procure the Heroes of Paris’s miraculous. Failure was not an option.

He started at the sound of a _whoosh_ from behind. Gabriel gripped at his cane, turning to face the intruder.

 _Her again_. Through the cloud of butterflies he made out her lithe form. Le Paon.

“Does PHOENIX feel I need a babysitter now?” he sneered.

Le Paon took several steps forward until the moonlight shone across her face. “Gabriel,” she said softly, her eyes intensely drilling into his.

 _It can’t be_. Gabriel regarded the person in front of him, who closely resembled his lost wife. _No… she’s a charlatan. It’s a ruse, a trick._

“Trying your hand at sabotage? Was that the plan all along? I defeat Ladybug and Chat Noir and you swoop in and take all three miraculous?” Gabriel felt every muscle in his body coil. “I won’t give you the chance!”

Thrusting out his cane, he summoned the surrounding butterflies to cascade onto her, forcing the woman to her knees. Le Paon flicked her fan, blowing them away with a powerful gust. At once, she darted away, fan at the ready. Determined, Gabriel’s next attack chased after her.

“Gabriel, stop this!” she begged him.

_If she thought she could masquerade as his wife, and then plead for mercy, she was sorely mistaken._

The butterflies enveloped Le Paon again, pushing her back to the platform. Gabriel pulled the rapier from his cane. He would end this now, and take back his wife’s miraculous from the imposter.

Quills shot out, knocking the slim sword from his hand. Before he could react, a gust of wind pushed him backwards, into one of the tower’s support beams. More quills followed, pinning his arms to the steel.

Tugging, Gabriel growled in frustration with his inability to free his arms. His cane lay mockingly at his feet, useless in controlling the remaining butterflies.

Le Paon staggered back up to her feet. Anger flashed her features as she stomped towards him. She paused before his form, catching her breath.

_WHACK!_

His cheek stung from the slap.

“You were supposed to protect our son, not put him in harm’s way!” she yelled.

_…What?_

“I didn’t want to believe it when the kids told me you had turned evil. But here you are, wreaking havoc on Paris!” she ranted at him, eyes glowing with fury.

She snatched his chin, forcing him to look out towards the city. “Now our son is out there, fighting for his life with Ladybug, trying to save Paris. From his own father!”

God smacked, Gabriel’s mind could only focus on a few select words from her tirade. _Our son. With Ladybug. His own father._

…

_Our son._

“Naomi?” he whispered.

Le Paon’s features softened slightly. “You stupid, stupid man,” she chided, shaking her head back and forth gently.

“How?” the only word he could form after finally realizing the woman in front of him was his beloved wife.

“How did I escape? _Our son._ And Ladybug. They freed me while you were busy attacking Paris.”

“Adrien… they don’t have him? He’s safe?” Relief flooded his body. His wife, his son… they were free of PHOENIX.

Naomi’s eyes narrowed again. “Adrien is away from them. But he isn’t safe. Because of you and your horrible akumas, hunting him for his miraculous.”

Gabriel’s felt his emotions go into freefall. His son… was Chat Noir? He’s been fighting his own son for the past three years?

Naomi released her transformation, the quills disappearing suddenly. Gabriel sunk to the floor, too stunned to move. She gently knelt in front of him, placing a warm hand on his knee.

“Stop this madness, Gabriel. Stop the akumas, protect our son.”

Gabriel felt like a knife stabbed his heart. “I…can’t,” he whispered. Naomi gasped, her features turning dark, a hand twitching near the pouch on her hip. “You don’t understand,” he continued, “that’s not how my powers work. I can’t simply recall the akumas. Once I grant them powers, I can make suggestions, try to influence them, but I can’t outright control them. Even if I dropped my own transformation, they wouldn’t disappear. They would persist.”

Naomi pulled his hands into hers. He instantly squeezed them, missing the feeling of her touch. Gently she reached out and cupped his face. And smiled.

“Then make heroes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still can't believe this came out of me. I know my writing needs some improvements (*ahem* pacing), but good god do I get shivers every time I read this chapter. I hope you all have enjoyed it as much as I had writing it. And clearly I like being in Hawkmoth's headspace?


	10. Heroes

Defeating a single akuma without using your special powers was difficult. Defeating multiple akumas without them? Nearly impossible.

And yet this was the situation Ladybug and Chat Noir faced. He had found her struggling against a burly, over the top circle themed muscle man, pinned against the side of an office building. One swift kick to the akuma’s head had freed her. Minutes later, she rescued him from the tangled wrath of a crazed hairdresser.

There was no point in keeping score anymore… not that either bothered anyway.

His shoulder ached from a particularly brutal blow. Ladybug was sporting a rather nasty bruise on her cheek. Together they had escaped to a quiet rooftop; a brief respite to catch their breaths.

“Do you think your mother failed? Maybe we should confront Hawkmoth ourselves?”

Logical questions, given the situation. Adrien sighed. He had lost track of time since leaving his mother at the Eiffel Tower. But certainly something should have happened by now if she had succeeded.

Ladybug’s voice grew quiet. “You don’t think she joined him?” she whispered.

Adrien blanched. _Both_ his parents couldn’t be evil, could they? Fate couldn’t be _that_ cruel? “I don’t know.”

She looked at his knowingly, sadness in her eyes. Suddenly they shifted to gaze at something over his shoulder. Instinctually, Adrien spun around, spotting the golden butterfly floating into an open window. Both superheroes tensed, waiting for the new akuma to appear.

Neither was expecting a radiant, glowing angel to emerge.

She wore a long, flowing white dress, with golden wings flapping elegantly from her back. As if sensing them, she ascended to the rooftops. Adrien readied his baton, and noticed Ladybug do the same with her yo-yo.

“Ladybug, Chat Noir. I am Divinity. How can I help?”

_Help?_

Two more golden butterflies floated by, disappearing into the building below. Shortly after a ninja and soldier themed akuma appeared.

Divinity looked on, patiently waiting for a response. Ladybug recovered first.

“You’re …. not trying to take our miraculous?” Divinity shook her head. “Uhh… Could you keep the evil akumas from hurting the citizens?”

Divinity flew off, towards the other ( _good?_ ) akumas. A knight, astronaut, and giant teddy bear had joined their ranks. “Protect the citizens!” she cried. They watched in shocked silence as the newly formed group took on the nearest evil akuma, disabling it.

“This is weird,” Ladybug mumbled. Adrien smiled. His lady articulated his feelings perfectly.

“After you, Bugaboo,” he teased, gesturing to the defeated akuma. She shot his a wry look before vaulting off the roof.

With their new allies, the Lucky Duo had a much easier time catching and cleansing the corrupted akumas.

+++

Gabriel felt the last akuma being cleansed. A weight suddenly lifted from his heart. It was over. It was all over.

Dropping the transformation, he gave Nooroo a solemn look. Just one of many he had hurt in his quest to rescue his wife. Nooroo’s large eyes considered his, and then cast over to Naomi. Understanding seemed to pass across them. The little Kwami floated off, without a word.

Naomi launched herself into his arms. Gabriel closed his eyes as he memorized her warmth, her smell, her touch. Clutching at him, she was openly crying. He was pretty sure he was too.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered over and over, burying his face into her shoulder. Guilt racked his core. For three years he had done unspeakable things to this city, to the citizens, to his son. Forgiveness was beyond anything he could attain or expect. He would face his punishment gladly. After all, her freedom was always worth more than his.

“Shhh,” she replied, gently stroking his back, his arms, his face. She placed tender kisses on his cheeks and lips, worry apparent in her bright, beautiful green eyes.

“I love you,” Gabriel choked out, capturing her lips with his. Ladybug would come soon, leaving him precious few moments to be with the love of his life.

“You need to run, darling,” Naomi implored.

“No.”

“I can’t live without you. We will find each other again. Please, go!”

Gabriel shook his head mournfully. “No,” he whispered again.

Naomi grew more panicked. “Gabriel, please listen to me. There isn’t much time!”

The fire was back in her eyes. He always loved her spirit. “I can’t run from this. Promise me you will take care of Adrien?”

“Gabriel… I’ll fight her if I have to, but you must leave now!”

“Adrien needs his mother. What will he do if both his parents are outlaws? No, you will do nothing. Please, Naomi, you have to let me go. For our son.”

Her lips quivered as she contemplated his words. She still looked conflicted, but hopefully she would do as he requested. Holding the woman closer, Gabriel pressed loving kisses into her soft blonde hair. He wiped the tears off her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs and pulled her into another kiss.

No more moments wasted on words.


	11. Hawkmoth's Final Victims

Marinette landed on the Eiffel Tower with a soft thud. Beside her, Chat Noir arrived a moment later. In the center of the platform stood Gabriel and Naomi Agreste, embracing one another.

Chat Noir stared at his reunited parents with a mixture of wonderment and sadness written on his features. He stood quietly, not wanting to disturb the private moment.

Marinette hesitated too. Here was Hawkmoth, villain of Paris. Yet he was also Gabriel Agreste, a man placed in a desperate situation.

Gabriel was the first to notice them, whispering softly into his wife’s ear. She reached out for a final kiss, tears running down her cheeks. He paused momentarily to cup her face before turning to Ladybug and Chat Noir.

Marinette felt herself tense as the man walked quietly towards them. Would he surrender himself willingly?

  
“Ladybug, may I have a moment to say goodbye to my son?” he asked.

Chat Noir inhaled sharply. She looked at him questionably. Eyes blown wide in surprise, he nodded once, apprehension overtaking his expression.

Marinette turned back to Gabriel. “Don’t try anything,” she warned.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he replied. Standing in front of Chat Noir, the man placed his hands on his son’s shoulders.

“Adrien, I … I have failed you. My quest to get your mother back had blinded me to your needs. And I know nothing could ever make up for it. I don’t expect you to forgive me, but please try to understand _why_ I did it. Your mother is so precious to me. I couldn’t stand by and do nothing.”

“I understand why you did it,” Chat Noir mumbled quietly, his voice thick with emotion.

Gabriel pulled his son into an embrace. Startled, Adrien dropped his transformation and gripped at his father. “I am so sorry,” Gabriel whispered while Adrien clinched his eyes shut and buried his face into his father’s shoulder.

Several moments passed before Gabriel pulled out from the hug, placing a gentle kiss on Adrien’s temple. “I love you,” he stated.

Adrien’s expression quivered. “I love you too, Father.”

“Take care of your mother.”

Adrien seemed incapable of speech, merely nodding his head several times. Gabriel gave his son one last squeeze on the shoulders and turned back to Marinette. He fiddled with something under his scarf.

“Ladybug, I will accept any and all punishments you deem necessary.” He sunk to his knees in front of her, handing her the butterfly miraculous. “I could never atone for all the chaos I have caused.”

Naomi sobbed audibly while Adrien stared on in hurt silence.

“I have no right to ask, but please key an eye on my family. PHOENIX will come for Chat Noir’s miraculous and they may seek vengeance on my wife.” Marinette gulped. Even with the defeat of Hawkmoth, there were other dangers lurking in the shadows.

“Duusu!” Naomi called out.

“No! Naomi, don’t!” Gabriel yelled. The woman paused, lips quivering and tears freely falling from her eyes. Addressing Marinette, he continued, panic evident in his voice, “please Ladybug, don’t hold this moment of weakness against her!”

Marinette glanced between the man in front of her, his wife and his son. Gabriel’s expression carried worry as he looked over at his wife. Naomi, meanwhile, was staring straight at Ladybug, mouthing the word “no” over and over, grief-stricken. Marinette caught her partner’s eyes, bright green sending a silent plea into her blue ones.

_Hawkmoth’s final victims: the Agreste family._

Marinette weighed everything she knew about Gabriel Agreste, the man and the villain, the situation he was thrust into, and the choices that he made. Coming to a decision, she drew in a deep, steadying breath and let it out slowly.

“Gabriel Agreste, your punishment will be threefold.”

Naomi whimpered and Marinette chose to ignore it.

“One, you will become the best husband and father you can be. You will love your family with every ounce of your being. You will support them and allow them to make their own choices, especially your son, even if you disagree.”

Gabriel looked on in stunned silence, while Marinette continued. “Two, you will take this back.” She held out the delicate, purple miraculous. He glanced between the item and her, as if he misheard her. Marinette pushed it closer until he gently lifted it off her palm. “You must promise that you will never use it again for evil.” He merely nodded, astonished by her actions. “Paris could only benefit from more heroes and you’ve proven that you can make fine heroes.”

“Three, you will tell us everything you know about PHOENIX and help us defeat them. You said they will come after your family, and I agree. I plan to go after them, but I need help. You will use the butterfly miraculous to help protect them and Paris. Failure to abide by these three rules and I will not hesitate to turn you over to the police. Do you agree to my terms?”

The man took a moment to gather his thoughts then merely whispered, “yes.”

Marinette felt relief wash over her. “Then go be with your family.”

“Thank you, Ladybug,” he said as he stood, eyes wide with gratefulness.

“Gabriel!” Naomi cried out and the man rushed back to her, enveloping her in a tight hug. They clutched at each other and Marinette smiled. She could only hope that she made the right decision.

Looking over at Adrien, his eyes were glued to his parents. He glanced her way, whispering the words “thank you.”

“Adrien!” Naomi called out to him. The boy smiled brightly, running over to be reunited with his loved ones. An embrace of two became three.

Marinette quietly decided to leave, heart swelling at the scene. A swing of her yoyo and she was on her way home to find her own loved ones.


	12. Overreaction

Marinette had arrived home right before dawn broke to two very worried parents. A quick lie about being stuck on the other side of town with a dead cell phone battery seemed to reassure them as they held her close.

Over exhausted, Marinette stumbled into bed, waking hours later to the afternoon sunshine beaming through her bedroom windows. Shuffling out of bed, she stumbled over to her desk. Nibbling on the plate of food her parents kindly left their sleeping daughter, the tired girl turned on the computer.

Tikki floated down from her spot on the bed, snatching a cookie from the tray. While the little Kwami still looked tired from the previous night’s ordeal, she seemed to be in a chipper mood, humming quietly as she snacked on the treat.

Looking over the headlines, many dedicated to the defeat of Hawkmoth, Marinette paused on one highlighting the resolution of the kidnapping of Adrien Agreste. Playing the embedded video clip, she watched as a reporter interviewed Gabriel Agreste, who had an arm around his wife and son. Naomi and Adrien smiled brightly as Gabriel spoke about how happy he was to be reunited with his family. The interview concluded with a promise from Gabriel that Agreste Fashions would be opening a charity devoted to helping akuma victims.

Tikki landed on Marinette’s shoulder, “That was a kind thing you did last night. They look very happy.”

“Love is a powerful emotion. It can also be very blinding. Gabriel Agreste’s love for his wife compelled him to ignore all his other morals. I don’t believe he’s an evil man at heart, just a desperate man trying to get his wife back,” Marinette replied, worrying her lip. “Tikki, do you think I made the right decision?”

The Kwami smiled back, nuzzling her chosen’s cheek. “I do. I don’t think we have to worry about Hawkmoth rising again.”

“I hope so. Fighting Hawkmoth again would be awful for Adrien. I wonder how he’s doing?”

“Why don’t we transform and find out?”

Marinette sighed. On one hand she would love nothing more than to see Adrien. But… “Adrien is probably either sleeping or spending time with his family. I don’t want to intrude.”

“I don’t know, Marinette. Something tells me Adrien would love to see you. Why don’t you send him a text?”

Flushing, Marinette panicked. Her phone! She completely forgot to plug it into the charger after coming home last night. Turning the device back on, she groaned at the 3% power bar. It would have to do.

Startled, she noticed a text from Adrien. From over an hour ago!

_‘hey can you come over?’_

Marinette nearly choked on her chocolate éclair.

“I need to get over to the Agreste’s right away!” she shouted, completely panicked. Hawkmoth… he had to have turned back into Hawkmoth! Which meant more akumas! Which meant more akuma attacks! Which meant more…

“Marinette, are you sure you aren’t overreacting?” Tikki inquired reading the text, interrupting her train of thought. Marinette ignored the question, mind racing with increasingly horrible scenarios.

“No time! Tikki, spots on!”

Ladybug bounded out the hatch and bolted off her balcony, determined to make it to Agreste Mansion in record time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two more chapters left. Next: A little bit of humor. 
> 
>  
> 
> muhahaha.


	13. Death

Adrien Agreste nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of Ladybug barreling into his room. In hindsight, Marinette knew she should have knocked on the window, but _There. Was. No. Time._

“Where is he?” she cried, darting around the room, searching for the purple clad villain.

“Where is who?” Adrien replied, confusion evident in his voice.

“You know who! Your father, Hawkmoth!”

Adrien physically flinched. “I don’t think he goes by that name anymore, but he’s downstairs with my mother. Why? What is this about? Did he do something?”

Marinette blinked, equally confused. “He … isn’t up to something? But your text! It sounded important, like you needed me over here right away.”

Adrien stared back at the spotted girl before dissolving into giggles. “I’m sorry, Marinette,” he said between breathless bouts of laughter. “Really, I didn’t mean to make it sound urgent. I was just curious if you were available today.”

Marinette felt her panic wash away. “So your dad … hasn’t turned back to Hawkmoth?” she asked sheepishly.

The model shook his head, amusement in his eyes. “Father has been with my mother since we arrived home. He hasn’t left her side. I caught a couple hours of sleep, but I think they are still in the foyer talking.”

Taking a couple steps closer to her, Adrien reached out and gently grabbed her hand. “It got me to thinking that maybe we should talk too,” he said quietly, stroking her fingers through the suit.

Flustered, Marinette could only reply, “about what?”

Adrien gave her a weird look, causing the heroine to stumble over her words. “Yeah, I guess… talk things .. things we need to talk about? I mean, yeah, we need to talk…about things?”

Plagg appeared from under Adrien’s collar. “If you two are going to get all lovey dovey, can you release Tikki so we can have a talk of our own?” the black spirit spit out sourly.

“Oh, yeah… sure,” Marinette replied, releasing the transformation. Tikki immediately bopped Plagg on the head before the two spun off to the second story of Adrien’s room.

Marinette turned back to Adrien, who was rubbing the back of his neck. “Where would you like to start?” she asked.

Adrien flushed. “Well… uh… we do have a lot to talk about. But I was wondering if we could talk about that kiss… and how we never got to …uh… finish it?”

Marinette felt her face go scarlet. She was pretty sure she let out a squeak too. “I… I…” she tried to summon some of Ladybug’s confidence. “I would like that. Errr…to finish it that is.”

Adrien wasted no time closing the gap between them. Gently he cupped her face with one hand, lips mere centimeters from her own. Anticipation filled her to the core as he leaned forward and lightly pressed his mouth onto hers.

Marinette melted, knees going weak. Snaking an arm around his neck, she steadied herself and pressed back. Blood thudded in her ears as her heart raced, unable to keep up with the feelings of elation and excitement.

“Adrien!” a voice scolded.

Marinette jumped back away from the boy, facing burning. Adrien, for the most part, was also red in the face. They both glanced up meekly to his parents, who were standing in the doorway. Naomi looked amused while Gabriel seemed annoyed. Marinette was certain that she was actively dying from embarrassment.

Naomi was the first to speak. “Obviously we need to set some ground rules about girls in your room,” she chided.

“How did she even get in here?” Gabriel questioned gruffly. “We’ve been downstairs the entire time. Surely one of us would have noticed her entering.” He glared at her, and Marinette felt a shiver run down her spine.

“She must have snuck in. Or has she been in his room the whole time?” Gabriel reasoned out loud. “Adrien, get away from the girl,” he demanded.

“What? No, Father, it’s not what it looks like.” Adrien stepped in front of her.

“She was clearly sent here to woo him. She must be an agent of PHOENIX.”

“Gabriel, stop it.” Naomi smacked the older man’s shoulder. “Don’t you recognize our dear Ladybug?”

Marinette’s blood turned to ice. _Hawkmoth knows my identity._

Gabriel, meanwhile, stared at the girl, astonishment written across his face. “Ladybug?” he choked out. He glanced between Adrien and herself. “Ladybug and Chat Noir, both under my roof?”

Adrien’s shoulders tightened while Marinette clenched her fists, feeling her purse straps quiver slightly as Tikki sneaked back into her bag. Naomi looked on worriedly at her husband.

Suddenly the man erupted into manic laughter.

Shock wafted over the room. Naomi recovered first. “Darling?” she asked.

“Ladybug,” the man gasped, laughter continuing. “Chat Noir.” He pointed to the two of them. He turned to his wife, grabbing her shoulders. “I am the _worst_ villain.”

Naomi smiled sadly. “Yes, yes you were. But you were never meant to be a villain, Gabriel. And I am so glad you were terrible at it.”

Sobering up a little bit, Gabriel held his wife again, muttering apologies into her hair.

Marinette let go of the breath she didn’t even realize she was holding, realizing two things. First, her distrust of Hawkmoth wasn’t going to evaporate immediately. Second, Gabriel would have a long road to forgiving himself…if he ever did.

Adrien pulled her hand into his, moving to leave. “I should take Marinette home,” he commented offhandedly, trying not to focus on his parents.

Gabriel snapped out of his guilt spell. “I want you back here in an hour.”

“Gabriel!” Naomi chided, smacking his chest.

“What?” the older man questioned.

“Be back before 2 am.” Naomi corrected while Gabriel visibly stiffened. “Adrien’s old enough for that late a curfew. Besides, he’s Chat Noir. He can take care of himself.” Gabriel opened his mouth to argue, earning a glare from his wife. “2 am is fine,” he conceded.

Adrien smiled brightly; clearly happy with his newfound freedom.

“Adrien, I apologize,” the older man admitted. “I am still learning what it means to be a good father.”

“It’s okay, Father, I understand.”

Gabriel’s face turned tense. “Do _not_ make me learn what it means to be a grandfather.”

_Death._ Marinette wanted death. _Right now._

Beside her, Adrien turned a bright shade of red and sputtered out a series of “um’s.”

“Gabriel!” Naomi angrily shouted at her husband.

“What?” Gabriel’s features lighten. A smirk appeared. “You told me I should try using humor with the boy. That it would help, make me more approachable.”

“That is _not_ what I meant,” Naomi giggled. Turning to the young couple, she addressed them, “But Gabriel is correct,” she laughed, flipping her hair over a shoulder. “I am a bit too young to be a grandmother.”

Marinette was sure she let out a noise that sounded like a dying whale.

“We’re…uh….we’re leaving now.” Adrien yanked Marinette out of the room, ears the color of a cherry tomato. The duo ignored the sounds of laughter as they bolted from the mansion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehehehehe.


	14. Tag

Adrien had pulled her halfway to Collège Françoise Dupont before slowing down. While the color on his face had mostly returned to normal, Marinette was sure her blush was permanent.

Pausing at an intersection, he rubbed the back of his neck, looking unsure of himself. “Do you want to do something? Like a movie? Or dinner? Or would you rather me take you home?”

Marinette blinked.

Adrien Agreste was asking her out on a date.

_Adrien Agreste was asking her out on a date._

“Yes!” Marinette replied, a little too enthusiastically. “Anything! …err, I mean, whatever you’d like to do sounds good to me.”

His reaction was instantaneous, a wide smile grinning back at her. “Well there is one thing I’d like to do, but where?” Adrien glanced around. Marinette looked on at her boyfriend ( _boyfriend!_ ) as the model spotted a secluded alleyway and lead her to it.

…Wait. _Alleyway?_

Before she could say a word about his poor first date spots, he transformed. With a smirk he reached out and bopped her on the nose.

“Tag.”

_Tag?_ Forget poor first date locations, Adrien had poor taste in first date _activities._

“Get back here you mangy cat!” she yelled at his fleeing form, as he disappeared to the rooftops. Transforming herself, Marinette gave chase.

Catching him proved to be more of a challenge than she originally thought. Her kitty could be quite stealthy when he wanted to be. She almost caught him at the Arc de Triomphe, but he slipped away mere centimeters from her fingers. Then she lost him again at the Lourve, only to spot him again at the Champ de Mars.

Climbing the Eiffel Tower, Marinette was certain she had seen his tail flick behind a beam. Zipping upwards, she prepared to pounce on her partner. However, she was greeted by an abandoned beam, no cat themed superhero anywhere. Huffing, Marinette turned to throw her yo-yo up to the next beam, determined to find the devilish boy, only to have a pair of strong arms pull her back.

“My Lady,” Chat Noir whispered into her ear mirthfully.

Turning around, Marinette bopped him on the nose. “Tag.”

The masked boy only grinned wider, pulling his arms around her frame. Marinette hummed in contentment.

“Beautiful view, beautiful girl. And you know what the best part about this place?” He winked at her. “No parents. No interruptions.”

“Are you going to use that as an excuse to kiss me from now on, _Chaton?”_

“That depends, is it working?”

Blushing again, Marinette reached up to stroke his cheek. “Yes.”

“So we can finish it? The kiss, that is?” He looked at her, apprehensive in his eyes.

Marinette didn’t bother with an audible reply, choosing instead to press her lips against his. Reacting, Chat Noir pulled her in closer, holding his arms tighter around her waist. Not to be outdone, Marinette snaked her hands up to his hair, feeling the boy in her arms intensify the kiss.

Minutes passed, and Marinette couldn’t care less. She was too lost in the ways he pressed his lips into hers and the weight of his hands on her hips.

Breaking for a moment, he whispered “ _Je t’aime_ , Marinette” before resuming the kiss.

Marinette felt her heart swell. “ _Je t’aime_ , Adrien,” she whispered back.

“ _Je t’aime_ , Ladybug.”

She paused, pulling away to look him in the eye. Chat Noir smiled brightly, no reservations in his eyes, leaning back in for another kiss.

He loved her. _All of her._

Wonderful feelings filled her being as she deepened the kiss.

No matter what the future held, the two of them would always have each other.

“ _Je t’aime_ , Chat Noir.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for going on this journey with me. Its been many years since I've written a fanfic, and never before have I written one this long. It's been fun!

**Author's Note:**

> Fic is complete and will be uploaded within the next week or two. Also, this was written before season 2 premiered. Why you gotta be like that, Gabriel?


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